The Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said Pope Francis confirmed the visit during their meeting in the Vatican today.

Pope Francis has confirmed to Enda Kenny he will visit Ireland in Aug '18. Unclear as of yet though if he'll visit the North too

It had been expected he would make the trip as part of the Catholic World Meeting of Families in August of that month.

There is no word yet as to whether he will be travelling outside Dublin during the visit.

Political Correspondent with the Irish Examiner Juno McEnroe said: "The Taoiseach said the State would facilitate any decision the Pope and his officials make, including whether the Pontiff decides to travel to the North or not.

"John Paul II was unable to travel to the North when he visited due to security issues there."

The Pope’s visit to Ireland for 2018 is at the request of the Conference of Irish Bishops.

It is five years since Mr Kenny made a speech in the Dáil which was highly critical of the Church's handling of the clerical sex abuse crisis.

RTE News reports that Mr Kenny was to raise the cases of six Irish priests who have been silenced by the Catholic Church at his meeting.